The Scouts of Stonewall: The Story of the Great Valley CampaignAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
History
The Scouts of Stonewall: The Story of the Great Valley Campaign
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Juvenile fiction
Jackson was already giving the order for the men to awake and march
forth to battle. It seemed to most of them that they had closed their
eyes but a minute before. They rose, half awake, without food, cold,
and stiff from the frightful exertions of the day and night before, and
advanced mechanically in line.
The sun again was yellow and bright in a clear blue sky, and soon the
day would be warm. As they heard the sound of the trumpets they shook
sleep wholly from their eyes, and, as they moved, much of the soreness
went from their bones. Not far before them was Winchester.
Banks was in Winchester with his army. The fierce pursuit of the night
before had filled him with dismay, but with the morning he recalled his
courage and resolved to make a victorious stand with the valiant troops
that he led. Many of his officers told him how these men had fought
Jackson all through the night, and he found abundant cause for courage.
Harry and Dalton sprang into the saddle again, and, as they rode with
Jackson, they saw that the whole Southern army was at hand. Ewell was
there and the cavalry and the Acadians, their band saluting the morning
with a brave battle march. It sent the blood dancing through Harry's
veins. He forgot his immense exertions, dangers and hardships and that
he had had no sleep in twenty-four hours.
Before him lay the enemy. It was no longer Jackson who retreated before
overwhelming numbers. He had the larger force now, at least where
the battle was fought, and although the Northern troops in the
valley exceeded him three or four to one, he was with his single army
destroying their detached forces in detail.
General Jackson, General Taylor and several other high officers were
just in front of the first Southern line, and Harry and Dalton sat on
their horses a few yards in the rear. The two generals were examining
the Northern position minutely through their glasses, and the chief,
turning presently to Harry, said:
“You have young and strong eyes. Tell me what you can see.”
Harry raised the splendid pair of glasses that he had captured in one of
the engagements and took a long, careful look.
“I can see west of the turnpike,” he said, “at least four or five
regiments and a battery of eight big guns. I think, too, that there is a
force of cavalry behind them. On the right, sir, I see stone fences and
the windings of the creeks with large masses of infantry posted behind
them.”
He spoke modestly, but with confidence.
“Your eyesight agrees with mine,” said Jackson. “We outnumber them, but
they have the advantage of the defense. But it shall not avail them.”
He spoke to himself rather than to the others, but Harry heard every
word he said, and he already felt the glow of the victory that Jackson
had promised. He now considered it impossible for Jackson to promise in
vain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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